1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an accessory for child care for use in limiting the movements of a child in a sandy environment, such as at a beach or in a sandbox.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The problem of limiting the movements of a child at the beach or in a sandbox or in some other sandy environment has long plagued parents of infants and small children. While parents greatly enjoy taking their infants and small children to a beach, this source of relaxation must be tempered by constant vigilance over the activities of a small child. Unless restrained, a child can easily walk or crawl away during even the briefest periods of distraction of the attention of the parents. This can be quite dangerous at a beach even if the edge of the water is some distance away, as infants and small children can move surprisingly rapidly toward the waterline at a beach.
For the sake of safety, many parents employ some means of limiting or restraining the movements of infants and small children in a sandy environment, such as a beach. Sometimes, the parents bring the child's stroller onto the beach and place the stroller on the sand. Alternatively, parents will sometimes transport collapsible playpens to a beach. When the playpen is errected it provides a confined area in which an infant or small child can safely remain. However, both playpens and strollers are rather bulky and difficult to transport. Both playpens and strollers require a considerable storage area, and are difficult to fit into the trunks and storage areas of automotive vehicles. Moreover, these conventional restraint devices are extremely difficult to maneuver out from automotive vehicles and onto a beach.
In a typical beach outing parents are faced with a very considerable task in transporting all the accessories and supplies needed to add comfort and relaxation to the outing. Beach blankets, beach umbrellas, picnic baskets, coolers, beach chairs and numerous other articles must be carried by hand from a vehicle parking area across the sand to a suitable location. The transportation of a baby stroller or playpen adds significantly to this burden. Furthermore, the very considerable task of moving all of the beach accessories and amenities must be performed while keeping constant watch over small infants and children.